5.1 Classifying Rocks


Vocabulary


Texture: look and feel of rock's surface
Grain:particles of minerals or other rocks
Igneous Rock:forms from cooling of molten rock
Sedimentary Rock: forms when particles of other rocks or the remains of plants and animals are pressed and cemented together
Metamorphic Rock:forms when existing rock is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions

Outline


  • How geologists classify rocks
    • when studying rock, geologists observe rocks'
      • color
      • texture
      • mineral composition
  • Texture
    • useful when identifying rocks
    • some rocks are
      • smooth and glassy
      • rough and chalky
    • to describe rock's texture
      • use size, shape, and pattern
    • grain size
    • grain shape
    • grain pattern
    • no visible grain
  • Mineral composition
    • test rock with acid to determine if rock contains carbonates
  • Origin
    • 3 major group of rocks
      • igneous rocks
        • forms when molten rock cools
      • sedimentary rocks
        • forms when particles of rock, plants, and animals are pressed and cemented together
      • metamorphic rocks
        • forms when existing rock is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions

Diagram







5.1_Diagram.jpg